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Friday, April 8, 2011

"The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land. If the Lord delight in us, then He will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey" Numbers 14:7.

Although I live in the great country of USA, I actually dwell on a parcel of land in the woods of Tennessee. But the land where I really live every day and night is in the "land" of my family life. This is the real down-to-earth land where each one of us lives our lives. What is our "land" like?

We get a glimpse of what God wants it to be like when we read about the land He promised to His people, Israel. Although these promises are literally for Israel, for God gave the land to them for an everlasting covenant,* they are also a type of how He wants us to live. Let's see how God describes His land.

IT IS A GOOD LAND (Exodus 3:8)

It is a "good" land. In fact, Numbers 14:7 tells us that it is "an exceeding good land." Tov is a common Hebrew word but it has a big meaning. The Lexicon in my Bible says it means, "pleasant, beautiful, excellent, bountiful, lovely, delightful, joyful, fruitful, precious, sound, cheerful, kind, sweet, correct and righteous." ** Read these words over again and say them out loud. Do they describe the good land of your home?

God intends your home to be a good land. He intends your marriage to be a good land. Motherhood is an exceeding good land. It is where you are meant to dwell, enjoying the blessings of God--your husband, children and the security of your home.

God instructs the older women to teach the younger women "good" things--how to love their husbands, love their children and to be keepers and home etc. These are the "good" things of the land (Titus 2:3-5).

IT IS A DELIGHTFUL LAND (Psalm 106:24)

Not only is it a good land, but a delightful land. God uses many descriptions to describe the land He chose for His people. .

"The most beautiful inheritance of the nations" (Jeremiah 3:19).

"The glory of all lands" (Ezekiel 20:6, 15). Did you know that motherhood is the glory of the nation? When God judged Ephraim He took away their glory. What was their glory? Conception, pregnancy and birth. Hosea 9:11 says, "As for Ephraim, their glory will fly away like a bird--no birth, no pregnancy and no conception!" The Hebrew word is tsvi and means "beautiful, prominence, splendor, pleasant." It is translated "the beautiful land" in Daniel 8:9 and 11:16 41.

"A delightful land" (Malachi 3:12). Chephets is a different Hebrew word and means "pleasure or delight." God gave marriage and motherhood for our pleasure. Of course we all experience many challenges and heartaches along the way, but as we embrace them as our Promised Land, our attitude changes and we begin to experience pleasures and delights galore.

The first home was called a delight. This is the meaning of "the garden of Eden." It was the prototype of all future homes. This is one of your great priorities--to make your home a delight for your children, for your husband when he comes home each evening, for folk who come into your home, and even for yourself. Make your home a place where you delight to be--your favorite place in the world.

Psalm 106:24-25 tells us that even though God gave this delightful land to His people, they didn't believe in its goodness. In fact, "they despised the pleasant land, they believed not His word. But murmured in their tents, and harkened not unto the voice of the Lord."

There are many women who despise motherhood, often because they have been indoctrinated by society to despise it. They are told that it is demeaning and they can do a lot better with their lives. They despise God's way for marriage. They are taught that they must keep their independence and live their own life. They groan and complain about motherhood in their home. They criticize and whine about their husbands. Consequently they don't enjoy their marriage, or motherhood. It's not a good land to them! All because of their attitude. All because they have been indoctrinated with deceitful lies from the enemy. If only they would open their eyes to behold God's plan, they would see all the good things. Motherhood would become pleasant to them. Their marriage relationship would become delightful.

May the "land" where you live become a delightful land to you.

Next week we will talk about how it is a land that flows with milk and honey.

Love from Nancy Campbell

www.aboverubies.org

PRAYER:

"Dear Father, please save me from despising the good land you have given to me. Thank you for choosing this land for me. Unfold your truth to me so that I can walk in all the blessings you have planned. Amen."

AFFIRMATION:

I'm embracing the good land of motherhood. It's my Promised Land.

* Read all the promises where God promised the land of Israel to His people for an EVERLASTING POSSESION. It belongs to them by God's divine order:

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